title: Small-cell lung cancer exhibiting spontaneous regression.
abstract: A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because a chest X-ray and thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a heterogeneous tumor in the middle mediastinum during a visit to a nearby clinic for a consultation regarding a persistent cough and body weight loss. However, the tumor spontaneously decreased on thoracic CT performed on admission. Subsequently, a biopsy of the tumor using video-assisted thoracoscopy was performed. The pathological findings disclosed the tumor to be small-cell lung cancer with infiltration of CD8-positive T-cells exhibiting spontaneous regression. Cell-mediated immunity, including CD8-positive T-cells, may have relevance to the spontaneous regression of malignant tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwakami
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Toshiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishiwata
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwakami
authors.forename: Munechika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Kuniaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seyama
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy